Reviews | Written by Kieran Fisher 04/06/2017

GRANADA’S GREATEST DETECTIVE: A GUIDE TO THE CLASSIC SHERLOCK HOLMES TELEVISION SERIES

Sherlock Holmes has come in various iterations throughout the years, across the entire spectrum of entertainment media. Since Sir Arthur Conan Doyle introduced the detective in print back in 1887, the character has been adapted for countless novels, radio programs, plays, films and TV shows since, becoming a timeless denizen of pop culture as a result. In recent years, we’ve seen Benedict Cumberbatch introduce the character to 21st century audiences in the well-received BBC series, but long before that, Jeremy Brett arguably defined the character in the Granada series, which aired for a decade between 1984-1994. Therefore, fans of the series - and Holmes buffs in general - ought to check out Keith Frankel’s excellent new book, Granada’s Greatest Detective: A Guide to the Classic Sherlock Holmes Television Series, which provides a comprehensive look at the adaptations.

Frankel has gone all-out here to provide the definitive coverage of those years in Holmes’ canon, providing valuable insight into how the project came about, as well as how it was the product of the socio-political climate in Britain at the time. Furthermore, in addition to featuring definitive coverage of the episodes, Frankel has included invaluable interviews with cast and crew members which sheds some light on what it was like behind the scenes. Even though the title would suggest that it’s an episode-by-episode guide to the series, Frankel’s book offers much more than a basic rundown and reviews, and with some unique analysis coupled with the essential background information, it provides the most detailed study of the show to date.

Overall, Granada’s Greatest Detective: A Guide to the Classic Sherlock Holmes Television Series is everything you expect it to be and more. Any Holmes aficionado owes it to themselves to pick it up, as chances are they’ll learn something new about this chapter in the great detective’s almighty canon. On top of that, Frankel is such a talented writer that the book itself is a nourishing read. All in all, this is one of the best texts on Holmesian pop culture in recent memory, therefore we can’t recommend it enough.